The Tale of Will the Shinigami
by ON3H3LLOF4BOCCH4N
Summary: Will is the new Shinigami, and does his best to understand the world around him. Still, how hard can it truly get when you're in love? Based on the book Thomas wrote in The Tale of Will the Shinigami.
1. Prolouge

The night started like any other. Children were complaining about going to bed too early, shops were locking their doors, and people began to scatter into their own homes, eager for the next morning. The earth smelled of old bread rolls and candle wax as bakers throw out the bread from yesterday by only the light of the shimmering flame. The clops of horse hooves echoed through the alleys as late night workers rushed home to their families and friends. Then, as the last bit of light fled behind the last door to be closed, all was silent, all was right, everything perfectly normal.

Of course, when does a story ever start with everything perfectly calm without something horrible happening soon after? That is the case now, in the little household near the river. This was no ordinary house by the river. It was THE house by the river. This house by the river just so happened to house the Anderson family, THE Anderson family. In the Anderson family, was the daughter, Elizabeth Anderson. THE Elizabeth Anderson.

The Anderson family was the wealthiest family on this side of the river. They owned three and a half businesses, not to mention the fact that they knew all the right people. Elizabeth Anderson was the eldest daughter out of six children, third out of them all. Thirty men had courted her over the course of that month; some of them were even single. Still, she turned down each and every one of them, much to her family's dismay. She didn't want to marry any of them, for she knew the man of her dreams was not among them. She knew he was out there, waiting for her too. All she had to do was go looking.

Still, how can one look when you are not able too? Elizabeth Anderson was sick. Not with the flu, and most definitely not a cold, but sick with love, for, in the shadows of the night, she had seen, you guessed it, THE man. The man that would take her away from the Anderson family that lived on the house by the river, the man that would be the cure to Elizabeth's sickness.

Elizabeth thought about this man hour after hour, and it only went that far, for she had only seen him two hours ago. She did not even know the man's name, for the man had fled to the caves of the shadows. She had only caught a glimpse of his face. He had brown, neat hair that almost covered his vision, piercing green eyes, and, "How can I forget?" she muttered. He had glasses. The glassed were the most noticeable feature, the way they almost crafted his face.

She knew it was he, the man she had been waiting for. The one man who she will wed, the one who had taken her breathe away. It didn't matter if he was the richest man on the other side of the river, or the poorest. Nothing mattered, as long as Elizabeth saw the man again, if only for a second. Even one second would cause her to fall ill yet again.

"Amazing…" she muttered to herself, "Simply astounding."

Still, the horrible thing has yet to happen, and it is not happening to Ms. Anderson, oh no. It's happening to the man who has also been thinking about Elizabeth hour after hour. The man who just so happened to be sitting in the park now, pondering.

This man was named Will. He was a quiet man, generally kept to himself, never disobeyed rules, turned in all his paperwork. Over all, he was the perfect working man. With perfection, though, come deep flaws. Flaws that may have yet to see the light or flaws that are just peeking out from behind the perfection. These flaws run deep, such as that one when, one day, you cannot help but tap your quill while thinking, or the feeling you get when you look at a woman. Still, there are flaws that run deeper, and tend to cause much more trouble than the pen you have. This is the case with Will.

Will's flaws dealt with the fascination of humans.

Still, this may be a bit confusing to you all. Let's go back a few hours, and see what our Will was doing then. As it just so happens, he was by the house by the river.


	2. The Tale of Will the Shinigami, Part One

"So, this is the human concept of love?" Will thought, watching two humans from afar. The male human was talking to the female human, smiling. The female human was laughing all the while, holding the male human's hand. The red light shining in from the trees illuminated their happy faces and the male continued to talk in a low, slow voice, as if they had forever. The female had stopped laughing and gazed into the male's eyes. The male gazed back, and he had also stopped laughing. Slowly, the male bend down, and whispered something into the female's ear, which made her giggle with pleasure. He pulled back from her ear, and stopped when his face was centimeters away from hers. He leaned over, and just before their lips touched, Will turned. "Disgusting."

Will sighed, and walked away. He had more important matters to deal with, for example, the last name on the Death list for tonight. Some man named John Thomas, who was scheduled to die at exactly 8:34, due to fever and an inguinal bubo, followed by vomiting of blood.

"Located… by the small river next to the… Anderson home." Will rubbed his chin and pondered, "The Anderson home? That is quite a ways away… Very well." He closed his book containing the names and slid it into his pocket.

After much walking, and multiple glances from the humans at his scythe, he made it to the river. By now, the sky was dark, and Will had only a mere ten minutes to find Thomas. "I must hurry, or his soul will be lost." Will muttered to himself, searching around the river. Eventually, he found a large house.

"This must be the Anderson house. I do believe the head of the house is the son of the Lawrence Anderson. I wonder if the family still produces glasses, as they have for generations. Maybe I can find enough money for him to make me a new pair." Will grumbled, adjusting the old and slightly worn pair he had on now. "No time to dabble in the weak society of human glasses! I must get going, or I shall never find Thomas!"

Will continued to silently sneak and crawl around the corners of the houses until he found John in a crumbling building a slight distance away from the Anderson house. Peering into one of the windows of the house, he saw the man, coughing and kneeling on the floor. _He looks pathetic, _Will thought to himself, clicking his tongue, _This must be the human concept of disease. I do believe it… _He cut himself off, _No time! Humans are below you in every way. Focus. _

After waiting and attempted focus, John died, crumbling to the floor. Will groaned at the sight of the broken man. Just before he removed the soul from the body for its trials to decide if it went to Heaven or Hell, a familiar voice chipped from the door.

"William!" in a flurry of red, the man was on top of Will, grinning wildly.

"Grell! I am currently in the middle of something! I would be ever so grateful if you would remove yourself from me…" Will attempted to push the shark-tooth reaper off, but Grell remained.

"Middle of what? Thinking about the humans again? That's all you are ever in the middle of."

"No, this is work! Now please, get off." Will sighed, rubbing his head.

"Fine… I'll get off. You seem like you are in a bad mood. How about I take the soul back to Death, and you can frolic off to 'study', hm?" Grell stood up and crossed his arms.

"If it will get you to leave me alone, of course. I will not go frolicking, though. I will be heading back to our realm. Now, if you'll excuse me." Will sat himself up and pushed back past Grell, who was waving.

"Have fun!" he giggled to himself, and started on Will's work. Will rolled his eyes and mumbled something not so very respectful, and walked off. The closest entry to the Reaper Realm was next to the Anderson house.

_Almost home… _Will thought, turning the corner towards the entry gate. While walking, Will heard a noise. Turning, he saw a woman who was gaping back at him. She looked young, only twenty years of age at least, and was thin, with stunning blue eyes and thick brown hair. Will panicked, and rushed for the gate. Finally, he was home.


	3. The Tale of Will the Shinigami, Part Two

Will panted and slid down the wall. He sighed to himself, caressing his head in his hands. Why am I so exhausted, Will thought to himself as he worked his way back onto his legs? Moments later, a red flash overcame his vision.  
"Grell?" Will called out, "How did you finish your work so quickly?"  
"Oh it was easy!" Grell smiled, waving his hand up and down, "I simply did not dabble in the lesser arts!" Grell giggled and skipped away. Will rolled his eyes and proceeded back to his home. It was only a few blocks away, but Will was exhausted. The walk seemed like forever.  
Finally, when he had returned home. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, shrugging off his black coat. He laid on the bed and sank into the mattress. His mind began to wonder, and his thoughts soon returned to the pretty woman who he had saw in alley way. Wait, Will sat up with a jolt, Did I just refer to her as 'pretty'?  
Will groaned, and threw his face into his pillow. She wasn't suppose to be pretty, she was suppose to be work, and a bother. Anything but pretty!  
"Besides," Will thought out loud, "Whats so nice about her? Her eyes?" The ones that dazzle as if the stars themselves were born from them. "Her hair?" The locks that sway in such a manner, my toes curl. "Her lips?" The berry-colored lips that seem to always be positioned in a bright smile. "Her skin?" The skin that shines like snow.  
"Her..."  
"William! Are you talking to yourself again?" Grell slammed the door behind him and sat next to Will on the bed.  
"Have you ever heard of privacy Grell?" Will sighed, shoving Grell away lightly.  
"Will, you are in love! Privacy should not be your biggest concern." Grell smirked in an all-knowing way, showing off his pointed teeth.  
"How di-" Will cut himself off, "I have no idea what you are talking about."  
"I can see it in your eyes. They are foggy, but there is something more behind them. Something alight in fiery passion!" Grell's smile grew until it reached from ear to ear.  
"Grell, stop it."  
"Almost...red! Red is the color of fiery passion, and your eyes are FLAMING!" Grell laughed and fell back.  
"Grell! Do not be so sure of your opinion. I have not fallen in love, nor are my eyes 'alight in fiery passion'." Will nearly shouted. He stood up, and pointed to the door. "Now, would you mind going? I would like to get to sleep."  
"Fine, you are grumpy anyway." Grell rolled his eyes, the smile disappearing from his face, "Tell me who it is tomorrow." And with that, he left. William sighed with relief, locking the door behind the prying reaper.  
"I'm not in love. Love is disgusting, and makes you sick. I would know if I was in love."


End file.
